Just one year ago, people were wondering what type of contract extension Baker Mayfield would get. Mayfield, a fiery competitor, played through a separated shoulder for the majority of the season which impacted his effectiveness at QB. Even still, Baker managed to finish with 17 TD passes [1](more than Lamar Jackson, Jalen Hurts and Tua Tagovailoa). As the offseason approached, the Cleveland Browns decided to go full Cleveland Browns mode and move on from the QB who brought them their first playoff win in 20+ years. While we could go into all the details of why this was an ill-advised decision **cough Deshaun Watson is a scumbag cough**, it’s in the past and it cannot be changed.
In a whirlwind of an offseason, Baker was traded to the Carolina Panthers on July 6th. In 2021, the Panthers total offense was ranked 30th out of 32 NFL teams; 29th in PPG and total passing yards[2]. What does this mean exactly? This team STUNK in 2021 and made ZERO moves in the offseason to get any better. Carolina was hoping for Baker to be a magic ‘cure-all’ solution to their offensive woes and he could not be. While his teammates bought into Mayfield Mania, voting him a captain after being on the team for just 2 months, his on the field performance invoked mixed emotions. He struggled to hit his receivers at the apex of their routes, a common theme for QB/WR duos playing together for the first time. As the weeks went by his reads got better, as his yards per game increased in each of his first 3 starts; a sign of him feeling more comfortable and throwing downfield more despite poor offensive line play which saw him get sacked on average 3 times a game. Then came the ankle injury which forced him to miss 4 games, and by the time he was healthy again, the Panthers had descended into more turmoil after firing their HC Matt Rhule. Baker was never given his starting role back, albeit for a fill in role in the 2nd half against the Bengals which he EXCELLED (155 Yds, 2 TD’s, Passer Rating: 126) and 1 game against the Ravens in which Carolina couldn’t get going in any aspect.
After FOUR (4) Starts, Carolina decided Baker wasn’t their guy and granted his release from the team. Now he winds up with a fresh start in Los Angeles with the Rams. This situation is perfect for Baker Mayfield and the Rams. For Baker, he gets a chance to prove that he is a starting QB in this league moving forward. Situationally, there isn’t a much better place for him to go to in the NFL. Matthew Stafford is aging and his recent neck/spinal cord injuries seem to be a bigger cause for concern than initially thought. Also, his elbow is toasted and he needs to have Tommy John surgery whether he wants to admit it or not. Mix his injury with the fact that the Rams don’t have a first-round pick, Baker seems to be the best-case scenario moving forward.
For fun, let’s recap why Baker Mayfield is “washed” in the eyes of the media:
- Separated shoulder in week 3 of 2021, continues to play through it because he’s a competitor and will play until he’s told he can’t.
- Traded to one of the worst offenses in the NFL the prior year, just 2 months before the season begins
- Injured 3 games in, loses starting job
In 2020 (his last fully healthy season) he had a QB:INT ratio of 3:1, won 11 games and advanced the Browns to the Divisional round of the playoffs. Why are we writing this guy off again?
Is it because of recency bias? We see all his commercials and think “his stats don’t match up to his endorsement deals, so clearly he’s regressing.”
Is it the injuries? Injuries are bad luck; you see it all across the NFL in different positions. Before the season, ‘experts’ were clamoring that CMC and Saquon Barkley were only a shell of their former selves; no longer elite talents. This year, they are both in the top 5 of total yardage amongst RB’s[3], a far cry from them not being ‘Elite’. I understand that RB is different than QB, but I see the same thing happening for Baker Mayfield next.
Should the Rams decide to bring Baker Mayfield on for more than the immediate future, he will be surrounded by one of the best WR’s in football in Cooper Kupp and a play calling mastermind in Sean McVay at HC. Baker has always played his best with a chip on his shoulder; from winning the Heisman as a walk on, to leading a dysfunctional franchise to their first playoff win in 25 years. He has proven he can overcome incredible odds; it just takes a little bit of time. Rome wasn’t built in a day and neither are successful players; Look for Baker Mayfield to rebound in 2023 and recapture his place as a starting QB moving forward in the NFL.
[1] https://www.nfl.com/stats/player-stats/category/passing/2021/REG/all/passingtouchdowns/DESC
[2]https://www.espn.com/nfl/stats/team/_/season/2021/seasontype/2/table/passing/sort/totalPointsPerGame/dir/desc
[3] https://www.statmuse.com/nfl/ask/nfl-most-total-yards-by-a-rb-2022
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